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Colombian Warlord Lays Down His Weapons
A brutal paramilitary warlord who made a fortune in Colombia's drug trade demobilized more than 400 of his fighters at a ceremony Wednesday under a peace deal critics say could let him get away with murder. Under the command of former underworld assassin Diego Murillo, members of the "Heroes of Tolova" faction of the paramilitary United Self-Defense Forces, or AUC, sang the national anthem before laying down their weapons, including assault rifles and grenade launchers. "Only a peaceful and constructive dialogue will make it possible to build a harmonious and prosperous country," Murillo told the ceremony at a soccer stadium in this tiny cattle-ranching hamlet 280 miles northwest of the capital, Bogota. He called on his leftist rebel foes to follow suit and enter peace talks. The disarmament plan, however, has drawn criticism from the United Nations, U.S. lawmakers and human rights groups, who warn it may bring neither peace nor justice.
Yeah. Most things draw criticism from the same bunch, don't they?
Under an amnesty bill pushed by President Alvaro Uribe, Murillo and some of his men may escape any meaningful punishment. The Heroes of Tolova have been blamed for numerous atrocities in northwestern Colombia, and the United States has described Murillo as "the top leader of one of the world's largest cocaine cartels."
Posted by: Fred 2005-06-16
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=121765